The One Who Was Forgotton
by Mononoke-hime x sukai kurora
Summary: Ashitaka, the hero of Tatara, has three children. Two children live with their mother, the Mononoke-hime, in the forest. One is hidden away in the village. When war threatens to destroy the people she loves, will she reveal herself?
1. Prologue: Birth

_Prologue: Birth_

Ashitaka warily tread through the forest. It had been half a year since the Shishigami had fallen and when Ashitaka said good bye to San, Mononoke-hime, to rebuild Tatabara. Now Ashitaka was back in the once-enchanted forest with his elk, Yakuo. Ashitaka gripped at Yakuo's reigns. Would San still trust him after all this time? After all, he hadn't sided with her when Lady Eboshi had tried to destroy the forest.

Ashitaka shook himself. _San loves me,_ he reminded himself. Urging Yakuo on, Ashitaka went deeper into the forest. As Ashitaka grew used to the sounds of the forest, he relaxed. The forest was beautiful; perhaps even more so since the fall of the Shishigami. If Ashitaka had not been wounded with a curse by the boar god, Nago, then he would never seen such beauty, or have met San, Mononoke-hime, his love.

Ashitaka remembered the route well to where San and her wolf brothers lived. It was here that he firs t saw the Shishigami. A branch snapped, breaking Ashitaka from his thoughts. _What was that?_ Ashitaka climbed off Yakuo slowly. The noise had ceased. Were the humans attacking the forest again? Ashitaka drew his bow.

"Ashitaka!" Ashitaka looked up at the tree where he heard his name. A sudden smile spread on his face.

"San!" Ashitaka cried happily, dropping the bow and arrow. He quickly jumped in the tree and threw himself in San's arms.

"Oh, San." That was all Ashitaka said at the moment. He let himself do nothing except breathe in San's scent.

"It's good to see you again, San." Ashitaka said when he had let go.

"It's good to see you too, Ashitaka." San smiled too. They both on the ground now. Yakuo was drinking from the cool water from the pool.

They both sat there for a while saying nothing. At last San spoke. "I've missed you, Ashitaka."

Ashitaka was surprised. During the time he had known San, San had never exploited weakness to him. Ashitaka didn't forget that San never left his side when they took back the head of the Shishigami. Then shock overcame him. San was crying.

"San…"

"I've missed you so much, Ashitaka. And I'm afraid of losing you. What if you become human again?" San didn't attempted to hide her distress.

"San…" Ashitaka took San's hands, and held hers in his own. "San, that won't happen. I'll never leave you for them, I promise you, San." Ashitaka held San in his arms. An emotion took over him suddenly. Careful not to startle San, he Ashitaka kissed San gently on the lips.

Ashitaka could feel San's surprise, but San didn't pull away. When they broke apart, Ashitaka said, "I love you, San. I won't ever leave you" He stroked San's hair tenderly. "I promise," Ashitaka whispered repeatedly in San's ear.

"San?" San was silent, her expression expressionless. Then her face softened.

San leaned in to Ashitaka. "I love you too, Ashitaka." Then she kissed him.

There they made love.

Ashitaka looked in the distance from Tatabara to the forest. Ashitaka sighed. He looked away from the forest. Toki, extremely pregnant with Kohuroku's child, and one of Ashitaka's closest friends in Tatabara, looked up in surprise.

"Ashitaka-_sama_, what's wrong?" Her eyes echoed the worry that she felt for the young man that had saved Tatabara from destruction.

Ashitaka looked up from the weeds he was pulling. "It's nothing, Toki," Ashitaka told her with a smile.

Toki didn't look convinced, but she didn't say anything, and went back to pulling weeds.

As soon as Toki turned, Ashitaka's smile melted away. His thoughts were not on pulling the weeds from Toki's garden. His thoughts were on San. A week later after making love to her, Ashitaka had visited San again. San, from what Ashitaka could tell, was sick. San had ordered Ashitaka to leave. A month had passed, and Ashitaka seen no sign of San. Ashitaka's brow scrunched in worry. What was wrong with San?

After another hour of pulling weeds finished and done, Ashitaka decided to visit the forest again. Putting on another change of clothes, Ashitaka walked out to the entrance of Tatabara. This time, Ashitaka would not take Yakuo. The familiar whispers surrounded Ashitaka as he walked whisky by. Ashitaka was familiar with the whispers that followed him ever since he had returned from the forest to rebuild Tatabara. Unknown to Ashitaka, the people of Tatabara whispered that Ashitaka had strength like a demon, and bravery like a god. This caused Ashitaka to gain a nickname: _Akuma_, which meant, Demon. The people of Tatabara also whispered that Ashitaka was secretly seeing Monononoke-hime, also known as San, and that he was in love with the enchanted princess.

They were right about one thing: Ashitaka was seeing San, and that he was in love with her. More than the people of Tatabara could understand. When Ashitaka was stripped of his curse, he had lost the demon-like strength that he had once carried – but Ashitaka was still the very powerful. Ashitaka could kill in an instant if he chose to, and Ashitaka possessed near inhuman strength, and no one, not even Ganza, questioned his bravery and loyalty.

"Ashitaka-_sama_!"

It was Kouroku. Even though it had been six months since the gods had faded, Lady Eboshi ordered the town to be guarded – especially at night.

"Kouroku!" Ashitaka smiled at his clumsy friend. "Are you guarding tonight?"

"_Hai_." Kouroku puffed out his chest importantly. "I think Lady Eboshi is starting to trust me." Kouroku's voice softened when he spoke of his wife. "How is Toki?"

"She is fine, and she didn't overdo it with the weeding today," Ashitaka said.

"Toki's getting big, isn't she?"

"Are getting excited about being a father?" Ashitaka asked.

"Yes." Kouroku's eyes spoke of pure happiness. "Two more months of waiting. It's be spring then. Where are going at this time at night?" Kohuroku asked Ashitaka then.

"Into the forest," Ashitaka simply said.

Kouroku suddenly looked alarmed. "T – the forest?" He repeated. "It's dangerous, Ashitaka-_sama_! Are you…going to see Mononoke – I mean, San?" he asked.

"_Hai_." A wolf howled as Ashitaka whispered that word. Suddenly Ashitaka had a far-away look in his eyes. "I am." Then Ashitaka sprinted off into the distance.

"Be careful, Ashitaka-_sama_," Kouroku whispered.

Ashitaka walked slowly to where he had seen San. A month earlier, he had found her curled up in ball, in obvious pain. San was finding it hard to breathe.

"San…" Ashitaka had called, trying to take her hand. San swatted it away.

"Go…away…." San had hoarsely whispered.

Ashitaka tried to go near San again, but San turned to him and said, "Go away and never come back!"

_What happened with San?_ Ashitaka wondered. Was it because that she was sick that she acted that way? Or was it because he human? Ashitaka suppressed a shudder. San had loathed humans – including him, but since the fall of the Shishigami, San seemed to have softened.

In the corner of his eye, Ashitaka spotted a form by the water. His heart leaped. It was San.

"San!" Ashitaka cried joyously. "San?" he repeated when there was no answer from the form sitting still by the water. Ashitaka sat by San. Their reflections in the water gazed up at them.

"Ashitaka." San finally spoke, although she didn't look at him. "_Gomen nasai_, I didn't mean to treat you the way I did when we last met. It's just…" her voice faded away.

"What, San?" Ashitaka gaze tried to meet San's.

San's gaze met Ashitaka. "I'm expecting a child. Yours."

When Ashitaka returned to Tatabara, he went straight to the Lepers, or rather now, the Iron Makers. When the Shishigami died, he rejuvenated the forest that had been previously destroyed, and he didn't just leave that behind; he had the Lepers, who were so scarred with burns that they hide the burns with bandages out of shame, healed. Now the Lepers could walk freely again, no longer afraid. That was also how Ashitaka had been lifted of his curse. The former Lepers also established a trade, and something they could be proud of: iron making.

"Shin!" Ashitaka called for the leader of the Iron Makers.

"Ashitaka-_san_!" Shin called happily. "What do you need, my boy?"

"Two rings, made out of iron, please." Ashitaka immediately said.

"Wedding rings?" Shin teased. Ashitaka said nothing. "I'll make them for you." Shin immediately disappeared and started working.

Ashitaka strayed outside of the workplace of the Iron Makers. Ashitaka needed time to think. San's information was still going through his mind. _"I'm expecting a child. Yours."_ Ashitaka knew that he would become a father someday, as it was expected of him, but not this soon, nor away from his people, the Emishi tribe. Ashitaka remembered his own father, who had died in battle when Ashitaka was thirteen. Ashitaka's father had been proud and strong, but also a gentle and kind king. Ashitaka wanted to be just like his father as boy, and he had vowed he would be the same with his own children. Ashitaka wondered now if that would come true.

"Ashitaka-_san_!" A voice interrupted his thoughts. The voice belonged to Sayuri, the lone woman in the Iron Makers. "Your rings are done." As suddenly as Sayuri had appeared, Sayuri disappeared from sight.

"Your rings, Ashitaka-_san_." Shin handed them to Ashitaka. They still warm is Ashitaka's hand.

"_Arigatou_," Ashitaka thanked Shin vaguely. He traced the rings, wondering what he was going to say to San.

"Good luck," Shin whispered. He winked.

"San," Ashitaka whispered to San's sleeping form. "San," he whispered more urgently.

San woke up, blinking her eyes open. She smiled when she saw Ashitaka. "I was afraid that you wouldn't come back."

"Never." Saying this, Ashitaka realized it was true. He would never leave San, because he loved her so much. "I'll never leave you," he promised.

Ashitaka slipped San's ring onto her finger.

"Ashitaka…" San was at loss for words when she saw the ring.

"I would like to spend my life with you, San." Ashitaka slipped his own ring on his finger. "I would like to commit my life to you, as a husband. But only if you agree."

San didn't say anything for a moment. Then she said, "Remember when you gave me the crystal dagger?" she asked.

Ashitaka remembered well. "Yes."

"We all ready husband and wife then, Ashitaka. We don't need rings. We only need each other, because…we love each other. I love you, and your love is no different from mine." San slipped her ring off of her finger; Ashitaka did the same.

"I will accept you as my husband, Ashitaka. I love you." San said as she held Ashitaka close.

"And I will accept you as my wife, San." Ashitaka kissed San's forehead. "I love you," he said as they began to kiss again.

This time, as husband and wife, they made love again.

"San!" Ashitaka cried desperately.

San hissed in pain. "Ashitaka, go!" San's hands scraped the autumn leaves. She hissed in pain again.

Ashitaka looked around feverishly. San had refused a midwife when her time came. San said she wanted to go through her time like her mother, Moro, did with San's wolf brothers: without any help and without anyone seeing. And Ashitaka disobeyed her, and refused to leave her side.

A ripple passed through San's body. San screamed in pain.

"San!" Ashitaka tried to move closer to San, but one of San's wolf brothers blocked his way. The wolf growled, signifying that Ashitaka should leave. Ashitaka had not forgotten that the wolf brother almost tore Ashitaka's head off. He would certainly do this same again, and he would not fail. Ashitaka left San alone.

For hours, Ashitaka paced as he heard San's growls and moans in pain. Ashitaka thought of how he had first met San. Ashitaka had recently rescued Kouroku and his friend from the river when Ashitaka spotted a wounded gigantic wolf with two tails. Ashitaka watched with amazement as he saw two other wolves come up to the larger wounded one. There was a human too, wearing furs, and jumped down from the other wolf. The human started to suck the blood from the other wolf's wound when the larger wolf growled in Ashitaka's direction. The human followed the wolf's eyes.

That was how Ashitaka first caught sight of Moro, the Wolf God and her pups. And San, Mononoke-hime.

San's screams of pain subsided. It was a couple of moments before Ashitaka heard the cry. The cry of a newborn infant. Ashitaka ran towards the sound, and as he was running, another cry joined the other. _Two?_ Ashitaka thought.

Ashitaka found San with eyes closed with fatigue. Near her body lay San's two wolf brothers. There bodies surrounded two bawling male infants. Ashitaka gave a sigh of relief. He had not lost San, or his children. Ashitaka gave a faint smile as he crouched down next to San.

"San," Ashitaka whispered, "San."

San slowly opened her eyes. "Ashitaka," was all she said.

"I'm glad I didn't loose you." Ashitaka stated, rubbing San's cheek.

San nodded when she closed her eyes again; not in relief; in pain.

"Ashitaka, you need to leave!" San groaned to her husband. More quietly she said, "It's happening again." San gave a hiss in pain.

Ashitaka stood his ground. "I'm not leaving you again," he replied firmly.

San, after a couple of moments, nodded. "Then help," she said.

Two minutes later their only daughter was born. But unlike her brothers, she did not cry. She was still as a stone. Ashitaka rushed over to the still infant.

"Breathe, child," Ashitaka pleaded, "Breathe!" Ashitaka's daughter wouldn't hear him, and lay still as a stone. "No," Ashitaka replied hoarsely. "No!" Desperately, Ashitaka put his mouth to his daughter's, took a breath, and breathed.

All was still for a moment. Then the baby girl began to cry. The air that she didn't have before filled her lungs, and her cries echoed in the forest.

"San," Ashitaka cried joyously, picking his still-bawling daughter up, "our daughter is -" Ashitaka stopped once he saw San's expression.

San looked at her daughter with distaste. "Kill her," San whispered.

"What?" Ashitaka said.

"Kill her," San repeated. "If she is not able to breathe on her own for the first time, then she won't be able to survive on her own. She is weak, and I have no use for weak children. Go. Take her to the river and drown her."

But San -" Ashitaka tried to explain.

"Go!" San roared.

Ashitaka ran with his infant daughter screaming in his arms. _Why,_ was his only thought. How could San destroy their only daughter? Ashitaka couldn't, even though he was considered the strongest man in Tataraba.

Ashitaka was near the river now. He held his daughter, who cries had suddenly ceased. Did she know what was about to happen?

As Ashitaka held his infant daughter above the river that would suddenly end her life, Ashitaka realized he couldn't do it. Ashitaka could not kill his life and blood.

Ashitaka could feel his daughter's hands grasp his as he pulled her away from the water. Her grip was strong.

_San is wrong,_ Ashitaka thought as he stared down at his daughter, _our daughter _is_ strong. _

A swell of determination overcame Ashitaka. Taking off his shirt, Ashitaka wrapped it around the infant, who was starting to shiver with cold. Ashitaka hurriedly ran towards Tataraba.

_And she will survive._


	2. Her Name

_Chapter One: Her Name_

Ashitaka walked quickly, narrowly escaping a hidden root on his path. He jumped out of the way just in time. Ashitaka was at the entrance of Tatabara now. Ashitaka stopped, and breathing heavily, looked down at the bundle in his arms.

Ashitaka's daughter had slumbered through his journey from the edge of the forest to the entrance of Tatabara. Her grip was still firm, clutching his hand as if holding on for dear life.

It was dawn when Ashitaka entered Tatabara. No one was awake yet. Ashitaka walked warily around to make certain that no one was awake just as his daughter began to fuss. Ashitaka immediately increased his pace.

The house Ashitaka stopped at was modest. It was small and made out of wood, but Ashitaka could see that Kouroku's and Toki's house was sturdy. A sense of nostalgia overcame Ashitaka as he remembered the Emishi people. His people. Ashitaka could feel his daughter fussing, and she let out a thin wail. Ashitaka knocked on the door.

Toki appeared at the door with her sleeping son, Hikaru, in tow. Toki looked like she had just gotten up.

"Ashitaka-_sama_…" Toki mumbled. Then she saw the bundle squirming in Ashitaka's arms. "Ashitaka-_sama_, what brings you here?" Toki was alert now. Hikaru started to squirm as well. "And…what child is this?"

"Mine." That was Ashitaka's only word. His daughter's cries were more persistent and getting less quiet. "May I come in?"

Hesitating only for a moment, Toki allowed Ashitaka in, and she called for Kouroku.

"What happened, Ashitaka-_sama_?" Kouroku asked as he and Ashitaka sat down at the same dining table as Toki washed Ashitaka's daughter.

"That I cannot say, Kouroku." Kouroku's eyes widened at Ashitaka's words. "But I want to let you know that I am extremely grateful for what you and Toki have done for my daughter. Thank you." Kouroku wouldn't say anything, not because he had deep respect for Ashitaka, but because Kouroku knew that Ashitaka did everything for a reason. _Something must have gone terribly wrong,_ Kouroku thought.

Ashitaka watched his daughter more closer this time. Although she was a newborn, her head was full of light brown hair. The exact same shade as San's. Ashitaka could see that she had inherited his eyes, the exact shape and shade. His daughter also had smaller hands than any other newborn infant, and he could see that she had full lips and a small nose.

"Ashitaka-_sama_," Toki's voice broke Ashitaka's thoughts, "what to happened to San?"

Ashitaka swallowed. He could easily remember what San said about her daughter. _"She is weak, and I have no use for weak children."_

"San is fine," Ashitaka finally replied. "She didn't die from child birth."

"Can you tell us what happened?" Toki had finished giving Ashitaka's daughter her bath, and wrapped her in a blanket and lied her next to Hikaru.

"No," was Ashitaka's answer. As Toki frowned, Ashitaka stood up. "I have a request for both of you."

"What is your request?" Kouroku and Toki asked at the same time.

"I want you to take care of my daughter, and raise her as your own."

Silence was met at these words.

"You are the only people I trust here," Ashitaka tried to explain.

"Yes, but why?" Toki was confused.

"That I cannot say," Ashitaka repeated. Before Toki could say anything, Ashitaka spoke. "In return for taking care of her, I will give you half of my supplies that I obtain regularly: food, weapons, and tools. I will also train Hikaru when the time comes. He will need to know how to defend himself, as it is with the world."

When Toki and Kouroku hesitated, Ashitaka pleaded, "Please."

At last they nodded. "Thank you," Ashitaka said, walking towards the door. As he was about to open it, Toki stopped him with a question.

"Can will tell her about you?"

"No," was Ashitaka's immediate response. "No. She has to be told that she is the daughter of Kouroku and his wife, Toki, and her brother is Hikaru. Don't tell her about me. At all."

"What is her name?" Kouroku asked.

Ashitaka looked straight in Kouroku's eyes. "Her name is Moro."


	3. Six Years Old

_Chapter Two: Six Years Old_

Moro was now six years old. Her hair was short, unlike most girls her age, and light brown. Her eyes were big and dark. People of the village said that she had a nose and ears like a wolf. She could run faster than anyone her age, and was very good with animals.

Hence the nickname, _Okami Ko_, Wolf Child.

Moro paid no attention to the nickname. Often, she was by her mother's side, either helping in the garden or going with her mother to see Eboshi-sama, the village head. Moro's mother had replaced Eboshi-sama's second-in-command, who died early last winter.

Moro was very proud.

The second-in-command, however, was not offered to Toki, Moro's mother, first however. It was given to Ashitaka-sama. Six and a half years ago, Ashitaka-sama had appeared as a stranger from a far away land. No one knew where he came from. He had almost sacrificed himself to save the Mononoke-hime, the protector of the forest, who was attacking the village, intent on killing Eboshi-sama. Ashitaka-sama proved his bravery by delivering a message to Eboshi-sama, and saving the village from the Shishigami. Both were very dangerous. Later he gained the nickname _Akai Akuma_, Red Demon.

Although Hikaru, Moro's brother, could not understand why Ashitaka-sama nearly sacrificed himself to save the Mononoke-hime, Moro could. Ashitaka-sama was very benevolent to all things, and to all creatures. Ashitaka-sama was also very humble, as he would not accept the position. "I have what I have here. I don't need anything else." He suggested Moro's mother to take the position. "She's a strong woman."

Eboshi-sama had listened, and now Moro's mother was second-in-command.

Ever since she was a very small child, Moro remembered Ashitaka-sama's face. Her mother and father said that Ashitaka-sama gave half of his supplies to them, although they didn't say why. Ashitaka-sama both looked young and old, as Moro always remembered him to be. His dark brown eyes were clear, but it was as if he was looking somewhere else, somewhere very far away. His eyes too had sadness and grief in them, beyond Moro's comprehension. When Moro spied Ashitaka-sama going out into the forest, it seemed like a heavy burden to him, and his mouth was made into a grim line, as if he were carrying secrets with him.

Moro knew that Ashitaka-sama was married to the Mononoke-hime, and that he had two sons, the same age as Moro, who lived in the forest.

Their names were Nago and Okkoto, if Moro remembered correctly.

This was beyond everyone's comprehension, even Eboshi-sama, who chuckled with amusement at the situation.

Moro understood.

She understood that Ashitaka-sama loved his wife, and that was the reason why he nearly died trying to protect her. Ashitaka-sama understood what it meant to genuinely hate, to love, to fear, and to hope. That was how he was able to fall for the Mononoke-hime.

That was why Moro admired him.


	4. The Forest

_Chapter Three: The Forest_

Moro was about to go back inside from playing with Hikaru when she saw Ashitaka-sama go by. Moro saw that his movements were rushed and hurried, as if he was late. She also saw that in Ashitaka-sama's hand he held Yakuo's reigns, heading for the gate. That could mean only one thing.

He was heading into the forest.

Moro had heard about the forest. She remembered very clearly about her father telling her about the time that Ashitaka-sama had saved him and his friend "from certain death." He told Moro and Hikaru about the kodama, and how small and varying in shape they were. Their father told them that the kodama were dangerous, and to be wary of them. When Moro asked her father about the forest, he bluntly stated that he didn't remember. It was Ashitaka-sama who answered her question earlier that day.

"What is the forest like, Ashitaka-sama?" Moro remembered asking, before Ashitaka-sama left her house from carrying supplies.

"It is beautiful." he simply stated, his words genuinely meaning to what he said. For some reason, he did not meet Moro's curious eye.

_Why doesn't he ever look at me? _Moro had always wondered that. He always seemed so sad when he was around her. He never answered Moro's questions, either. It was always, _"It is beautiful."_

Nothing else.

Tonight, she decided, would be the night he reveals to me why he can't look at me.

And so Moro followed him.

Moro was very cautious of not alerting Ashitaka-sama or Yakuo. She was very quiet, and like her mother said, a very good tracker. Moro never lost sight of Ashitaka-sama.

Moro was surprised when she saw a kodama. It was a small and pale white spirit, with a human-like body. Moro remembered her father telling her to not trust these "things." The kodama seemed innocent, cute even. But Ashitaka-sama was talking gently to the kodama, as if talking to an old friend. He smiled, something Moro had rarely seen. Yauko was calm as well. The kodama disappeared as Ashitaka-sama moved on. Moro's father was wrong about the kodama.

Ashitaka-sama stopped. The stop was so sudden Moro almost blew her cover. She quickly hid herself in a bush, and was amazed by what she saw.

There was an island shore. The island, from what she could see, was shrouded by fresh green grass with herbs. There was also a tree, a huge tree with kodama sitting in the branches. The tree seemed so magical it drew Moro's breath away. _Ashitaka-_sama_ is right, _Moro thought. _The forest _is_ beautiful. _

Moro watched as Ashitaka-sama unhooked the reigns from Yakuo and waded to the island. _Why did he release Yakuo?_ Moro wondered as she watched the two companions wade further to the island. _He could get away._

Moro continued to watch curiously as Ashitaka-sama sat down on the grass. Yakuo was standing beside him, almost tensing. They both were waiting for something.

_"Otosan!"_

Moro turned her head. A small boy appeared out of the forest, riding on a wolf's back. As the sight of Ashitaka-sama, the boy jumped into the water and swam. A woman also rode a wolf, stroking its fur, although her eyes were on Ashitaka-sama. It was only when the woman turned her head did Moro realize how beautiful she was. From a distance, the woman was small, but Moro could see the ripples of muscle in her body. This woman was strong. The woman had soft brown hair, worn in the same style as Moro did. She had two small red tattoos on her face, and wore earrings. The woman had large light brown eyes, the same shape as Moro's. What caught Moro's eye the most was the crystal dagger hanging from her neck. It was beautiful, perhaps even more beautiful than the woman herself. It gleamed like the moon in the sky.

Moro was still mesmerized by the woman's beauty that she didn't see the woman wade confidently to the other side. She embraced Ashitaka-sama.

"San..." Moro was shocked at Ashitaka-sama's loving emotion. His hands were rubbing the woman's hair.

_That's the Mononoke-hime! _Moro realized. She hadn't realized before that the woman was Ashitaka-sama's wife, and that the two boys surrounding Yakuo were his children.

_I've got to go back! _

Suddenly Moro stepped on a twig.

Moro listened fearfully as the twig's crack echoed through the forest. The wolves were growling, despite the Mononoke-hime's reassurances. The two boys held out their two small knives. Moro listened to her heartbeat. _Lub-dub, lub-dub, lub-dub._

Finally, Ashitaka-sama broke the tension. "I'll see what's going on," he stated calmly. "San, Nago, and Okkoto, stay here."

Not daring to move or breathe, Moro stayed more she was as Ashitaka-sama continued to move forward.

"Moro-chan?" Ashitaka-sama whispered.

"Ashitaka-sama?" Moro was surprised and relieved that he knew who she was.

Ashitaka-sama nodded. "I knew it was you that was you that was following me."

"You knew?" Moro's eyes widened with surprised.

_"Hai."_

"Then why didn't you stop me?" Moro's dark brown eyes bore into Ashitaka-sama's, questioning.

For a moment, Ashitaka-sama didn't say anything. "I'll explain on the way. Come. Toki-san and Kohuroku-san must be worried about you."

Moro felt a guilty lump in her throat as she followed Ashitaka-sama through the forest back home.

"Why didn't you stop me?" Moro asked. They were now near the edge of the forest.

Ashitaka-sama was silent for a moment. Then, "You've asked me about the forest so many times I thought you might follow me into there one day. I wanted you to see the forest yourself."

"But I stopped your time with your..." Moro didn't know what to say. _Family?_

"I couldn't let you go back to your home alone in the forest, now could I?" Ashitaka-sama's eyes bore into hers. "You should be more careful."

"_Gomen nasai_, Ashitaka-sama." Moro hung her head.

Ashitaka-sama's gaze softened. "It's all right. You were only a curious child."

"Why is it that you're safe in the forest, but I'm not?" Moro asked.

"I don't know." Ashitaka-sama admitted. "I sometimes believe that it is because I saved the forest with San."

"The Mononoke-hime?" Moro asked.

Ashitaka-sama nodded. "Other times I believe that San's love protects me. But not you." He added to Moro.

"Is the forest still dangerous?" Moro asked.

"Yes." Ashitaka-sama now squatted down so that he was Moro's height. "Yes, it is. There are still creatures that would kill a human to protect the forest from harm." Ashitaka-sama stood to his full height again. "You shouldn't enter the forest anymore, Moro-chan. Especially someone like you."

Ashitaka-sama sped off into the darkness, leaving Moro to unanswered questions and her confusion.


	5. Apprentice

_Chapter Four: Apprentice_

Years past. Moro never saw San, the Mononoke-hime again, along with her two sons. Heeding Ashitaka-sama's advice, Moro didn't enter the forest since that night.

Moro was now twelve years old. Her hair was still short, creating criticism from the older women, including her mother. Her body was now a woman's: her curves grew, and Moro hips grew out as well. Moro was still known as _Okami Ko_, her childhood nickname. She was very good communicator with animals, partially with wolves. People said that she somehow knew what the wolves were telling her.

Moro remembered the night when she first saw the wolves, gleaming white and strong. She remembered seeing the Mononoke-hime herself. How Moro wished that she could enter the forest again, to feel free and powerful as those wolves must be. More than once Moro found one of the boys looking faraway into the distance into the village, riding on a wolf. Then he was gone as soon as Moro spotted him.

It was always the same boy, Nago. Moro wondered sometimes if Ashitaka-sama knew if his son was always looking into the distance of the village when Ashitaka-sama himself was looking into the forest. But Moro didn't question him. Nor did she mention that she always look out into the forest as well.

Her thoughts were interrupted as she heard familiar voices. Moro recognized her mother's voice, calm and understanding, and her father's, shouting with betrayal.

Ashitaka-sama's voice was mixed in with them, almost pleading.

Moro stopped moving, and cautiously opened the door a slit, so she could hear what was going on. She spotted her mother's small frame, along with her father's slim, and Ashitaka-sama's.

"You should have never given her to us if you were going to ask for this!" Moro was surprised at level of rage of her father's voice. She opened the door wider. Her father was struggling to control his emotions. Because Ashitaka-sama's back was turned to her, Moro could not see his expression.

"You have protected Moro-chan that I ever could. And for that, I thank you." Ashitaka-sama's voice was smooth, but his words sent shivers down Moro's spine. _They're talking about me!_

"Why do you want to train her, Ashitaka-sama?" Moro's waves of thoughts were broken by her mother's voice. "She is not in any danger."

"She eventually will be." Ashitaka-sama stated calmly. "There is war brewing in the West. Have you heard?"

Moro had heard about the civil war. Government unrest. The Emishi people were unhappy with their queen, who had recently taken power. Previously, the last prince was slain by a demon, and when he died, she took his place on the throne twelve years later when she came of age. The people were convinced that their queen was unfit to rule, and there was a rumor that stated the prince was not slain, but was exiled far West. The queen was almost assassinated, and since then, fled to the East. The one responsible for the assassination took over the throne, and sent warriors to find the lost prince. The ones loyal to the queen were in hiding, waiting to strike. Moro thought that the war would never reach her.

That is, until now.

"You say you are going to teach her how to use bows and arrows and a sword." Moro's father's voice was tight with suspicion. "How do we know you won't teach her anything else?"

"She will be taught what she needs to know." Ashitaka-sama's voice was stern. "If she wants to learn something, I will honor it."

There was a moment of silence.

"How can you guarantee her safety?" Moro's mother asked. Concern etched her voice. "Will you protect her if she's in any harm?"

"I will protect her with my life." Ashitaka-sama promised.

"I'll tell her you want her to be her apprentice, Ashitaka-sama." Moro's father sighed. "Just take care of her."

"I will." Ashitaka-sama promised.

Moro moved farther away from the door as she heard Ashitaka-sama approach it.

"Ashitaka-sama?" Moro heard her father's voice hesitate.

"Yes?"

_"Domo arigatiou gozaimasu."_

Moro could imagine Ashitaka-sama smiling. "You're welcome."

"Moro?" Moro could hear her mother's voice vibrating through the wall of the door as soon as Ashitaka-sama was out of sight.

_"Hai, Okasan?"_ Moro asked. She hoped her voice didn't betray that she had listened to their conversation.

"Your father and I would like to speak with you."

Moro could feel her legs trembling as she sat down in front of her parents.

"Moro," her father began, "Ashitaka-sama wishes to train you in the way of the warrior."

"Like a samurai?" Moro thought it would be best to play ignorant.

"No, not a samurai." It was her mother who answered. "A warrior, like him."

"Why?" Moro asked. It genuinely puzzled her. "All the warriors we have are men."

"Have you heard of the war brewing in the West?" Moro's father's asked. Moro nodded. "Ashitaka-sama wants to make certain that you are safe, and out of harms way. He is only training you so that you can protect yourself."

"What about Hikaru?" Moro asked. "Will he also be trained by Ashitaka-sama?"

Hikaru was training to be a blacksmith by Shin, a former leper and the best one they had in the village.

"No, Hikaru will not be trained. Only you." Moro's mother answered.

"But why me?" Moro wondered out loud. "Why does he want to protect me?"

"He has always had a special bond with you. You're like the daughter he never had." For some reason, Moro caught her father flinch.

"Moro," Moro looked up at her mother. "Ashitaka-sama needs an answer today. Only today."

Moro knew the answer as the words appeared on her mother's lips.

"I have an answer." Moro stated, surprised by her own certainty and determination. "My answer is yes."


	6. Fire

_Chapter Five: Fire_

Moro had been training under Ashitaka-sama as his apprentice for four years. She was sixteen years old. Her brother, Hikaru, had finished his apprenticeship, and was starting his own business. Moro knew, however, that she would be under Ashitaka-sama's wing for some time before he decided to let her go.

She was stalking a deer, cautiously putting put one foot in front of the other. Moro could hear the deer's cautious footsteps as well. As she followed the deer, she remembered why she was doing this.

The war had finally come to Tatara. Rations for food were made, as Eboshi-sama ordered their armed men to aid the queen's supporters. Moro noticed, but didn't dare to mention, that Ashitaka-sama, her sensei, was the only young man left in the village. Food was so scarce Moro had recently started to hunt animals for their meat in the forest where the Mononoke-hime and her sons lived. Ashitaka-sama would not approve. "Desperate times call for desperate measures." Moro remembered her father lecturing her as she protested, right before he left for the war. "I'm certain Ashitaka-sama will realize that in time."

Moro told herself that this was true as she aimed her arrow, and as it flew towards the innocent deer grazing in the grass.

The arrow was stopped short by a hand. The hand grasped the arrow firmly, ignoring as the blood seeped from the wound. The hand dropped the weapon, leaving it to the ground. The deer, Moro's food, was gone.

Moro drew out another arrow to prepare to face her enemy. The enemy stood to face her too, and stared at her with menace in his eyes. Moro was surprised at what she saw.

It was Okkoto. His boyish face was now thin, a face of a man. He was taller, perhaps three more inches taller than her. Okkoto looked very much like his father, Ashitaka-sama. His mouth was drawn in a grim line as he drew his weapon: a small but deadly-looking knife.

"Who are you, human?" Okkoto snarled, putting his knife in front of him. Moro held her breath, holding her stance and her arrow ready. She could not lower her guard. _"My sons are very much like their mother."_ Moro remembered Ashitaka-sama warning her twelve-year old self, when she had first entered the forest with him. _"They view the people of our village humans, including you. The only human they trust is me. Be wary of them, Moro-_chan_. My sons are very strong, and will not hesitate to kill you. Never lower your guard."_

"Why are you here?" Moro was met with another question. She decided to answer truthfully.

"The war in my village has taken its toll on my people. I must hunt for meat now." Moro answered calmly. She was aware that Okkoto gripped his hand on his knife even more firmly.

"You know you are not supposed to hunt here." Okkoto stated flatly, his eyes turning to slits. "This forest shall not have destruction again."

"Desperate times call for desperate measures," Moro echoed her father's words, preparing to fight.

Suddenly, a gunshot rang out.

Moro turned her head around. Birds called out, flying to the forest. Another shot rang out, causing them to scatter.

It's coming from the village, Moro suddenly realized. She ran ahead, forgetting about the battle, and Okkoto, who was following her. Is the war finally here?

Moro abruptly stopped. Moro and Okkoto were at the corner of the forest now. All they could see was smoke and flames bellowing from the village. _Her_ village.

Tatara was on fire.

Moro squinted to see. Beyond the flames, she could see shapes fighting, drawing blades. Some of them fell, never to get up again. Moro sniffed, smelling something more than smoke and flame. She sensed Okkoto stiffed as well.

They smelled blood. It was heavy in the air, smoldering her other senses.

War to Tatara had finally come.


	7. Blood

Chapter Six: Blood

Moro stood, hardly daring to breathe. No doubt the Emishi people were searching for their lost prince. But here? It seemed impossible. Moro surveyed the surroundings again, gripping her bow tightly. She saw people murdered before her gaze.

"Moro! Okkoto!" The voice startled them both.

It was Ashitaka-sama. He was panting heavily, and Moro saw that his sword and clothes were stained with blood. His dark brown eyes, normally clear, were grieved and ashamed.

"Ashitaka-sama?" Moro asked. He seemed to not notice them, instead his gaze was directed at the village. She saw that grief weighing heavily upon him. "Ashitaka-sama, the Emishi people are attacking our village. Why are they searching here?"

Moro's voice seemed to bring Ashitaka-sama to the present. "They are searching here because they heard a rumor that their prince stayed here for a time. The Emishi people believe he is still here. Also, they knew that Eboshi-sama would send our men to aid the queen's supporters. They just had to wait and bide their time."

"They believe that Eboshi-sama would tell them where the prince is because the other villagers – the women and the children – would be in danger?" Moro asked. She felt a queasy feeling in her stomach.

_"Hai."_ Ashitaka-sama whispered. "They will kill the villagers if Eboshi-sama does not cooperate." His voice seemed to linger in sadness.

Moro swallowed. "Ashitaka-sama," she began, keeping her voice tight, "what should we do?"

"Go to the village." Ashitaka-sama said immediately. He turned to Okkoto, who was listening patiently throughout the entire conversation."You will go with Moro, my apprentice."

_"Otosan-"_ Okkoto tried to protest.

"You will obey me." Ashitaka-sama's voice was stern, an emotion Moro had seen only a handful of times. "You will help the villagers, and if necessary, kill the men who are attacking them. Both of you."

_"Hai."_ Moro and Okkoto said this at the same time.

Ashitaka-sama disappeared, running into the distance.

Without breaking stride, Moro and Okkoto followed him.

Moro could hear the agonized screams, only to be cut off by a sword. Rage pulsed through her veins. _No! _Moro ran faster, ahead of Okkoto now. Moro could still hear the screams as she rushed through the gate, the entrance of Tatara. They seemed raw as ever.

Moro spied an Emishi warrior charging after a villager with a baby in her arms. She desperately tried to run away as the warrior was gaining speed. Without any hesitation, Moro drew her bow and aimed.

Moro's arrow wounded the Emishi warrior directly in the back. He flailed, trying to regain his balance before he collapsed on the floor. He didn't get up. Moro crouched down, looking for a pulse. There was none.

Moro stood up again, surveying the area. Bodies of Emishi warriors and villagers of Tatara littered the ground. There was still fighting going on, and she saw that Okkoto was fighting the Emishi as well, his lips drawn in a snarl, and his eyes full of hate.

_Eboshi_-sama_! _Moro realized suddenly. Where were they? _Okasan!_ Moro's mother was with Eboshi-sama at all times. She remembered Ashitaka-sama's words_. "They will kill the villagers if Eboshi-sama does not cooperate."_ Was Eboshi-sama dead? What about Moro's mother and Ashitaka-sama? Were they safe?

Moro sprinted into the distance.

The house belonging to Eboshi-sama was quiet. There were no screams coming from the place, and no slashes of swords. Moro remembered this house. She had come here once before, when she was very small.

_"Why is this house so small?"Moro remembered asking her mother why Eboshi-_sama_'s house was small like the others houses when she was the leader of the village._

_ "Eboshi-_sama _is a very modest person."Moro's mother's admiration for Eboshi-_sama _was evident from the sound of her voice. "She likes it that way."_

_ When Moro asked why, Moro's mother said, "She wants to remain connected to us. We are like family to her."_

Moro remembered Eboshi-sama. There seemed to be something mysterious about her. It was as if Eboshi-sama was carrying a secret. Now, Moro couldn't understand why her mother admired the woman that had nearly destroyed the forest. Perhaps that was why the Mononoke-hime and her sons hated her very existence.

The only person Moro admired in the same passion as her mother admired Eboshi-sama was Ashitaka-sama.

He was Moro's sensei, her friend, and her protector. Moro trusted him with her life.

Moro cautiously opened the door. It was only when she heard the quiet footsteps did she know that she was in danger. It was too late.

Moro drew her short sword in front of her. She barely missed the blow that was aimed at her head. Moro jumped away, panting. Then she studied her opponent. He was around her age, perhaps a year or two older. His sword was still pointing at her head. This warrior, although young, was born to kill.

Moro swallowed her fear. "Your prince isn't here." She made her voice calm and controlled. "He died a long time ago. You should accept your queen."

Moro held her breath as the warrior spoke. "Our queen is weak. She is young. She does not know how to control our people. Hii-sama had lied to us." Rage grew in the warrior's eyes. "She told us that our noble prince died from his wounds from fight the demon, Nago! Kaya-sama knew that was a lie as well!" At that moment, he charged at her.

Moro blocked his sword, darting out of the way. The both began to spare. Moro tried to get an upper hand, but it was useless. The warrior was a very good swordsman. Moro suddenly felt a sting right below her right eye. She felt the blood drip down her face. _I've got to end this!_ Moro realized. _Otherwise he'll kill me!_ She studied the warrior again. He was now farther away from her, observing her movements.

Moro drew out her bow. It was at that moment that the warrior charged.

Her arrow wasn't the one that killed him. Moro watched as the arrow – not hers – buried into the warrior's chest. The warrior was dead before he hit the ground.

"Moro, I hope you're not hurt."

The voice startled her. It belonged to Ashitaka-sama, and yet his voice was not _his_. His voice, normally calm and comforting, was forced and raspy. His eyes had a glaze over them. This was the same voice that told Moro and Okkoto that Tatara was under attack.

Moro suddenly eyed his cheek. "You're bleeding!" she exclaimed. Before she could run over to him, Ashitaka-sama held up his hand, signifying she shouldn't.

"This scar will heal again." Ashitaka-sama stated calmly. The old Ashitaka-sama was back. "Just as it has many times before. Besides," he eyed Moro's cheek, "you are wounded as well."

There was a scream that filled the silence.

_Eboshi-_sama_!_

Moro and Ashitaka-sama ran forward.

What they saw would haunt Moro's memories forever. Eboshi-sama's head was beside her feet, her eyes betraying her fear. The blood soaked the floor.

And beyond that was a bloodied sword in trembling arms.

That person was Okkoto.


	8. Revelations

Chapter Seven: Revelations

"Okkoto?"

Ashitaka-sama's voice brought Moro out of her thoughts. She still could not believe what she was seeing. Moro suppressed a shudder as she glanced at Eboshi-sama's decapitated body.

_"Otosan?"_ It was as if Okkoto realized that his father and his father's apprentice were there. His eyes were clouded, the same as Ashitaka-sama's, Moro realized with a jolt.

"What happened, Okkoto?" Ashitaka-sama cautiously walked toward Okkoto, stepping over Eboshi-sama's body. Moro remained at a distance.

"I didn't kill her." Okkoto said. "I hated her, but I didn't kill her!"

"You didn't answer my question." Ashitaka-sama said sternly.

Okkoto swallowed. "I knew that the Emishi people would be here. I was searching for the woman when I heard her voice. She said, "'He is not here.'" The Emishi people wouldn't believe her. They said, "'We know he is here. We for are looking for Prince Ashitaka.'" At that name, the woman's expression altered and changed. She looked...shocked. "'Ashitaka?'" she repeated. I could see that there were thoughts going around in her head. The Emishi people thought she was hiding something. "'You know where he is, don't you?'" The woman would not answer. Instead, she said, "'I do not know any Prince Ashitaka.'" At that moment, I saw a shower red. She was gone. The Emishi people disappeared." Okkoto was silent after that. He looked more lost than he had before. Ashitaka-sama looked lost as well.

"The Emishi people were a proud race." Ashitaka-sama whispered quietly. Moro and Okkoto looked up in surprise. "Now they are reduced to this." His voice lingered in grief. "They should be ashamed."

Ashitaka-sama looked up at Okkoto again. "Why did you pick up the sword?" he asked.

"I don't know." Okkoto said. Moro could see that he was lying, but Ashitaka-sama did not press him further.

Ashitaka-sama put his sword back into his hilt. "We'd better tell the others, Moro-chan."

_"Hai."_ Moro said sadly.

Okkoto didn't say anything.

The funeral for Eboshi-sama and the other civilians who lost their lives in the battle was held the next day. Moro hardly paid any attention to it. She knew she was supposed to feel grief for Eboshi-sama and the others, but she didn't. Okkoto had gone back to the forest as soon as he could. Toki, Moro's mother, was now the leader of Tatara. Moro knew she was supposed to feel proud, like her brother Hikaru, but she didn't feel anything except dread. Moro's mother's first order was to find Eboshi-sama's killer. Eventually, Moro's mother came to suspect Okkoto, and he was expected to come to the village today. Murder of another, especially one's leader, was punishable by death.

Today was the day. Moro watched in the sidelines as Okkoto was brought forth. Behind him were the Mononoke-hime, Ashitaka-sama, and Nago, their other son. It was ten years since Moro had last seen the Mononoke-hime, and she was shocked how much they looked alike. Their light brown hair was kept short as always, and there was something about the Mononoke-hime that Moro saw in her self.

"Today we are witnessing the trial of Okkoto, who is a suspect of the murder of Eboshi-sama." Moro's mother began. The others, like her, Moro noticed, seemed to be gleaming with hate. "He was holding the weapon that ended Eboshi-sama's life, and fled as soon as he could. What do you have to say, Okkoto?"

"I did not murder your Eboshi-sama." Okkoto began, keeping his voice steady. "I saw her die. I did not murder her, though I did hate her."

"Your hatred of her was fostered by your mother, correct?" Moro's mother inquired.

"Yes." Okkoto agreed. "It was."

There was silence. Moro felt her head spin. Something was going to go terribly wrong.

"He is innocent, you dirty human." The Mononoke-hime was speaking now. Her voice was high with rage. "I did foster the hatred for that woman, but he would not kill her. I believe him."

Shouts and accuses were met with her words. Fists were raised, and voices screamed of hate. Moro's mother rose to speak, but Ashitaka-sama stood up. The shouts and accuses died down. All eyes were on Ashitaka-sama.

"When I came here, seventeen years ago, you had no idea who I was. Where I came from." Ashitaka-sama's voice was calm and controlled. "I told Eboshi that I came here to see eyes unclouded by hate. That was the truth." Ashitaka-sama looked at the Monononke-hime, his wife, and his sons, as if begging them to understand. Then he looked at Moro. There was regret and remorse in his eyes. "The truth was that I came here to search for a cure that would save my life. My people, the Emishi, were attacked by a demon. The demon was known as Nago, and I killed him. Before that, however, I was touched by him, and was cursed." The realization hit Moro. This man was their prince. Ashitaka-sama was the Emishi prince that his people were desperate to find. The others realized this as well. They were silent. "Hii-sama, the wise one in the village, told me that there was no hope for me. As I left, she told me that I was dead to them forever. My _imoto_, Kaya, gave me a parting gift: her prized crystal dagger that our mother once wore. Now my wife, San, wears it." Ashitaka-sama paused. "After my curse was lifted, I did not want to go back to my people. I found a home and a family here. To them forever, I was dead." Ashitaka-sama swallowed. "I'm sorry I have caused you this pain, Toki-san. I'm sorry I caused everyone this pain. I never meant for this to happen. _Gomen nasai._" Ashitaka-sama looked up, and was then that Moro saw tears pouring from his eyes. Ashitaka-sama bowed down to Moro's mother. "For exchange for my deeds and Okkoto's life, I ask you to take mine. _Onegai shimasu_, Toki-san."

Everyone was silent.

At last Moro's mother spoke. _"Hai._ I will do as you ask, Ashitaka-sama."

Moro's mouth formed in a soundless scream.


	9. Imprisoned

Chapter Eight: Imprisoned

"It won't be a while now." Ashitaka-sama said calmly.

Moro was beside his side, sitting in a prison cell, where Ashitaka-sama would stay until he was executed.

Five more days. How could he be so calm, Moro wondered. With his story, thought, it wasn't surprising. He had encountered death more than once.

Moro looked at Ashitaka-sama. His eyes and voice were now clear again, as if a burden was now released from him. How was that?

As if reading her thoughts, Ashitaka-sama said, "I am calm because I know my son is safe."

"Why?" Moro croaked. Ashitaka-sama edged closer to her. He reached up and touched her face, gently. It made Moro feel as if she was a child again. She instinctively calmed.

"I love my family, and I'll do whatever it is to protect them."

It sounded so simple. But Moro knew it was not.

"Even though you're sacrificing yourself because of it?" Moro whispered.

"Yes." Ashitaka-sama said. He reached for Moro's hands, and held him in his own. "Don't be imprisoned by fear, Moro. It will destroy you. Have courage."

Even after leaving the prison cell, Ashitaka-sama's words were still repeated in her head.


	10. Ai shiteru

Chapter Nine: _Ai shiteru_

Ashitaka-sama's death sentence was today. She still remembered the words that he told her almost a week ago. _"Don't be imprisoned by fear, Moro. It will destroy you. Have courage." _How could she not be afraid? The death of the man that she adored as a mentor and friend was near. How could she suffer in silence?

Moro's mother and the others, including Hikaru, bore no remorse over Ashitaka-sama's deeds. They all felt he deserved it, the death sentence. Moro couldn't understand. It was then that she realized that she would _never_ understand them. She was alone.

"Moro?" Her brother's voice broke into her thoughts. She looked up to see her brother's concerned face. His eyes were sharp with fear.

"Moro," Hikaru began, putting down his newly-made sword for the many men that were still fighting the Emishi people searching for their lost prince – Ashitaka-sama. Moro could still not believe Ashitaka-sama's revelations_. "After my curse was lifted, I did not want to go back to my people. I found a home and a family here. To them forever, I was dead."_

"It's not your fault." Hikaru began again, holding Moro close. "He made a terrible mistake that cost Eboshi-sama her life, but his actions are not your fault. You were blind to the truth, like us." Hikaru stopped speaking, noticing the rage in Moro's eyes. "He deserves this, Moro!" He shook her.

"He doesn't deserve this." Moro spoke, her voice soft and defeated. Hikaru started. "His people exiled him. They didn't want him back, back then." she looked at her brother with overcoming sadness in her eyes. "What happened to Eboshi," she emphasized their former leader's name, "was not his fault."

"He allowed them to come and attack our village, and to an extent, he caused Eboshi-sama's untimely death along with other innocents!" Hikaru bellowed. He was unable to control his feelings any longer. He pulled roughly away from his sister. "He should be held responsible!"

"Ashitaka-sama did this to protect his family, Hikaru. Why can't you understand?" Moro asked her brother, her voice rising with each word.

"I can't understand because there was _always_ something going on in his head." Hikaru spat. "Something we don't understand. Even _you_ don't understand. I know he's like a father to you, Moro, but you have to face it! He is wrong!"

Hikaru realized what he had just said. It was too late to take them back now; the damage was all ready done. Moro exited out the door.

Moro walked absentmindedly out of Hikaru's blacksmith shop. Hikaru was right. There was something going on in Ashitaka-sama's head, ever since she ever met him. His eyes had a faraway gaze to them, as if he was seeing something she couldn't see. Now Moro knew. He was thinking about the day the demon boar, Nago, had cursed him. It was the day that changed his life.

_Did_ she love Ashitaka-sama as a father, Moro wondered. She remembered the time when he was teaching her how to use a bow and arrow, then a sword. It was the first few lessons she had learned when she had begun her apprenticeship with him. Moro remembered too, that Ashitaka-sama had listened to her when no one else would. Her father viewed her warmly, but had not time to bother with her problems. The same was with her mother and brother. Ashitaka-sama would listen to her calmly, not interrupting at all. When she was done, he would often give her advice, or simply wait until she came to her own solution. Yes, Moro, decided, he was like a father to her.

As Moro walked into the prison cell for the last time, she felt her scar. Like Ashitaka-sama, a slim scar appeared on her right cheek just below her eye. She wondered if it meant something.

"Ashitaka-sama?" Moro whispered. Inside the cell there was nothing but darkness.

"Moro-chan?"

Moro crept forward until she felt his hands touch hers. Moro drew in a breath. His hands were cold as ice.

"Ashitaka-sama," Moro fought to bring her voice calm, "how are you feeling?"

Ashitaka-sama sat up, and with dread Moro realized that his body had a grayish tinge to it. He leaned on her.

"I...am dying." He coughed. Blood dribbled down his chin.

"They...haven't been feeding me for a while now." Ashitaka-sama said, rising to his feet. Moro could hear his breath come into gasps.

"Because of what you did?"

Ashitaka-sama nodded.

Before she could speak, Ashitaka-sama started to sway. Moro hurriedly caught him before he fell.

"Moro-chan," Ashitaka-sama began weakly, "I have something to tell you. Something I should have told you long ago."

"Yes?" Moro eyed Ashitaka-sama clouded gaze.

"Okkoto and Nago are not San's only children. There was another. She was the only girl." Ashitaka-sama paused, drawing a deep breath. "When she came into the world, she did not breathe. Her father, desperate to save her, breathed for her. It was only then that she did cry. But the mother would not accept her. "'She is weak,'" she said. The mother ordered the father to kill her." Ashitaka-sama took another breath. "The father could not. Instead, he hid her away, keeping an eye on her as she was raised by another couple with their son. The father named. Her name was Moro, named after San's mother, the Wolf God." Ashitaka-sama paused, breathing while Moro was shaking with shock. "Do you know what I mean?" he asked Moro.

"No." Moro said. The information and shock were swirling around in her head.

"You are my daughter, Moro." Ashitaka-sama held her hand as he spoke. "You are the daughter of San, the Mononoke-hime, and the sister of Okkoto and Nago. Kamiguchi Toki and Kouroku are not your mother and father. Hikaru is not your brother."

All was silent in the prison cell.

At last Moro spoke. _"Wakarimasen."_ she uttered. _"Wakarimasen."_

_"Gomen nasai, _Moro-chan." Ashitaka-sama whispered, tracing his daughter's face. "I should have told you." He sighed, weakening again.

"It doesn't matter now." Moro supported her father as she stood. "What should we do?" she whispered to herself.

Ashitaka-sama had heard. "Go to the East. Find Kaya, my sister. If anyone can stop this madness, it's her. Go now." he said.

_"Otosan-"_ Moro stopped, realizing what she had called him. The words sounded foreign on her tongue. She tried again. "_Otosan_, what about you?" she asked.

He was silent. Then, "You'll have to kill me."

"W – what?" Moro could not understand what she was hearing.

"The best way to escape would be to kill me." He put his arm around her. "If you kill me, a criminal, then no would bother to look for you." His eyes – no, her eyes, too – met hers. "You have to find my sister before war destroys the world as we know it."

"Where should I aim?" Those words were the only ones that came to mind.

"Right here." Ashitaka-sama pointed to his chest. "I'll die instantly."

"Why?" Moro could help whispering. "Why you?"

Ashitaka-sama smiled sadly. "I caused all this, Moro-chan." He explained gently. "It's fitting that I should pay for it. You are no longer my apprentice, Moro. And that means you are a child no longer."

Tears threatened to blind Moro's vision, but she pushed them away. Screaming a battle cry, she aimed at her father's chest.

There was much more blood than she imagined. It was on her hands, her face, and on her own chest. What scared her most was Ashitaka-sama's face. His eyes were empty.

"Ashitaka-sama," Moro thickly whispered. With difficulty, she pulled out the sword that took his life.

_Her_ sword.

Gently, she laid Ashitaka-sama's body to the ground.

"Moro-chan." It was very weak, but it was Ashitaka-sama's voice. Blood escaped from his mouth. Moro edged closer to him. "I believe in you..._musume. Ai shiteru_." The last word was forced, and so weak Moro could barely hear it. But she did.

Ashitaka-sama's body was still. Then he closed his eyes.

He was gone.

Moro ran.


	11. The Mourning of Ashitaka

_ Chapter Ten: The Mourning of Ashitaka_

Moro ran. She heard the blood pulsing through her body.

She tried not to think about it.

She had murdered Ashitaka-sama, her mentor, her friend…her father.

Moro had murdered her own father.

_"I caused all this, Moro-chan. It's fitting that I should pay for it."_ _You were a good man._ Tears threatened to spill over again. _You didn't deserve this._ Moro heard screams coming from the village. She ran faster.

She came to the edge of the village, panting for breath she had run so hard. Surrounding Tatara was a body of water. Without hesitation, Moro jumped in and started swimming.

Ashitaka-sama had taught her how to swim. Besides archery and swordsmanship, Moro remembered that learning how to swim was her first lesson. _"Let the water go with you."_ Ashitaka-sama's voice whispered in her mind. _"Be one with it. Trust it. Then you can swim."_ It was as if he was alive again, here with her. It was as if she was twelve years old, the age Moro was when she began her apprenticeship with him.

_Ashitaka-_sama_…_Otosan_… _How could Moro had not known that he was her father? It was obvious enough. She had not inherited her archery skills from Kouroku or Toki. Her sense with animals was the same. Moro thought back to her nickname, _Okami Ko_. _Fitting, since I'm named after a wolf god, _Moro thought. The skills she had inherited as a warrior were not from Kouroku or Toki. Instead, they were from her mentor himself.

She thought of her mother, the Mononoke-hime, San. The mother she had never known abandoned her because she believed she was weak. Despite this, Moro could see that her _okasan _loved Ashitaka-sama, and her sons, Moro's brothers, very much. A lump caught in Moro's throat. How would she tell them that their father and husband was dead?

Moro was now out of the water. She shook herself dry, and looked back. Tatara looked the same as ever. It was the same as ever, a small village with sturdy houses with vegetable gardens. There was thin smoke coming from the fires that the villagers made. Moro wondered if they now knew that Ashitaka-sama, or _Akuma_, was dead._ "If you kill me, a criminal, then no would bother to look for you."_ Was that true? Or would they search for her?

Moro looked back at the village she had considered her home the last time, and began walking towards the forest.

Moro tread wearily through the forest as she walked. It was uncannily silent. The kodama were nowhere to be seen, and there seemed to be a somber hush over the forest as well. _Are they mourning for Ashitaka-_sama? Moro thought. A feeling of guilt and sadness overcame Moro, and that was when she finally let go. She let the tears flow that she held inside her for so long.

Moro wasn't certain when she stopped crying. When she did, she saw a familiar face, etched with grief.

It was Nago. Moro breathed in surprise. He and his brother Okkoto were images of each other, down to the very smile that they rarely showed. Like their father, Ashitaka-sama. Nago was holding out his short sword – similar to Ashitaka-sama's – unsteadily. _Does he know?_ Moro wondered, standing up to full height. _Does he know that I killed his – I mean, our father?_

"You're Moro, my _otosan_'s apprentice." Nago's voice was calm and free of any emotion. He turned swiftly to the other direction. "Come with me."

Moro could easily catch up with Nago. Then he stopped. "My father's dead, isn't he?"

Now Nago's voice was overcome with emotion. Now his voice shook as he spoke. The emotion, unmistakably, was grief. Moro didn't know what to say, so she nodded silently.

"How did you know?" Moro asked when she found her voice.

Nago now looked at her. She was shocked at how tired he appeared. "Okkoto was accused of killing that woman, Eboshi." His voice tightened with rage as he spoke her name. "My father pleaded to take his own life than my brother's. And so they did." Nago sighed, sadness etched on his face.

Then they began walking again.

Moro and Nago were close where the Mononoke-hime lived when Moro heard a low howl coming from the trees. She started.

"They're mourning for Ashitaka," Nago simply stated. Moro listened closely. _Wolves,_ she thought. Their howls were mixed with mourning and anger. _They're mourning for him too._ A stab of guilt hit her stomach. _What have I done?_

"Where is your mother?" Moro asked. She had to keep her voice from betraying the raw guilt that she felt.

"She's on the island where we used to meet with our father." Okkoto stood next to his brother, suddenly appearing from the trees. Quietly, he added, "She's taking it very hard."

The siblings sat in silence. Then, as Moro became accustomed to the sounds of the forest, she heard a single voice singing.

"In the moonlight I felt your heart  
>quiver like a bow string's pulse<br>in the moon's pale light  
>you looked at me<br>Nobody knows your heart  
>when the sun has gone I see you<br>beautiful and haunting but cold  
>like the blade of a knife so sharp so sweet<br>nobody knows your heart

All of your sorrow, grief and pain  
>locked away in the forest of the night<br>Your secret heart belongs to the world  
>of the things that sigh in the dark<br>of the things that cry in the dark."

The voice abruptly stopped, faltering with the last verse. Moro could feel wetness coming down her cheeks. It was then that she realized she was crying.

"Moro, Nago, we should she see her." Okkoto broke the silence. He stepped forward, wading into the water. Moro and Nago followed him.

_"Okasan?" _Okkoto called. San had his back to him and would not respond.

"_Okasan?" _ Now Nago spoke. His voice covered the grief that Moro had witnessed earlier. Nago called again. _"Okasan?"_

San turned around to face them. Like her sons, her face was etched with tiredness and grief. There was a sense of defeat surrounding her that Moro had never seen before, even when Ashitaka-sama – no, her father, was near death. It was only when San saw Moro did she react.

"You human!" she spat. Moro stepped back. San stood up to her full height and ran towards her, the crystal dagger in her hand.

They spared a couple of times before they broke apart. Okkoto and Nago stared at both of them. "What's going on, _Okasan_?" Nago asked. Okkoto waited quietly.

"I smelled his blood on her." San was now calm, although her eyes betrayed her rage. "Do see the blood on her body and sword, Okkoto and Nago? She killed him. She killed your father."

Nago's eyes narrowed and he pulled out his short sword. Okkoto seethed in rage.

"Ashitaka-sama wanted me to kill him. He wanted me to find his sister, and he said the only way I could do that was to kill him." Moro forced to keep her voice calm.

"You're no better than Eboshi." Okkoto snarled. "You killed my father!"

"Our father, you mean." Moro countered. "You and Nago were not the only children of Ashitaka and San." Nago and Okkoto stopped, staring at her. San stiffened. "I was born to them as well. Our mother believed I was weak, and she ordered our father to kill me." Moro had their attention. "He didn't. Instead, he watched over me in Tatara as I was raised by Kamiguchi Toki and her husband. He wanted me to kill him, because it was the only way to achieve peace. That's what he believed." Moro stepped forward. "I need someone to go with me to find Kaya, our father's sister. I cannot do it alone."


	12. Departure

_Chapter Eleven: Departure_

"You're our sister?" Nago whispered. Shock was etched on his face. Okkoto was speechless.

Moro nodded. Then she turned to San.

Moro's mother spoke at last. She looked at her three children without flinching. "When I asked Ashitaka to kill you, I knew he wouldn't. He is-" San stopped, sadness again appearing on her face. She swallowed and began again. "He was a benevolent man, Ashitaka was. He would never kill without reason. From the moment I saw you, I knew you were my daughter."

"Why didn't you demand to our father to tell the truth then?" Moro asked. Nago and Okkoto listened quietly. "Why did you continue to pretend that I was long-dead?"

"He and I knew," was San's only response. "That's all you need to know."

Suddenly their mother spoke again, her voice seething with rage. "I knew you killed him, my daughter, when I smelled his blood on your sword. I became angry." San's fists were clenched as she spoke. "I became angry enough that I wanted you dead. You killed your father. The man who was the human I was only capable of loving." She sighed, and her body relaxed. "Then I heard that he wanted him to kill you to save those that he loved. That's so much like Ashitaka." Then San fell silent.

"The humans will come here," Okkoto stated, overtaking his mother's silence. "I believe our father was wrong when he assumed that they won't kill you for kill him. They will hunt you."

Moro suppressed a shudder. Did Ashitaka-sama sacrifice himself for nothing? Then Nago spoke. "It may give us enough time to find Kaya-sama, our father's sister. The humans won't search for us yet. They have a war on their hands."

"Us?" Moro repeated.

"Yes, us." Nago put his hand on Moro's shoulder. "I'm going to go with you."

Before Moro could speak, Nago continued. "Okkoto and our mother will stay here to protect the forest. You and I will go find Kaya-sama."

Okkoto spoke as well. "Yakuo died two years ago, and it sounds like you two will be going a long way. Kiba and Ken, our mother's wolf brothers, will guide you."

At that moment, two gigantic wolves appeared. The growled at Moro and Nago. Moro was astounded that she could hear them speak.

"_Well, hello, wolf cub."_ The wolf named Ken greeted Moro.

"Ashitaka-sama said that when the Shishigami died, all of the animal gods became dumb beasts." Moro said awed.

"_Only those who are part of San's tribe can understand the animal gods now." _Ken growled. Moro jumped onto his back. Nago was all ready on Kiba's.

"Moro," San spoke to her daughter, her voice full of pride. "You are strong. I was wrong. Ashitaka was right. Farwell." she said as Moro and Nago disappeared, hoping to find the lost Emishi queen.


	13. Journey

_Chapter Twelve: Journey_

Moro and Nago rode on the wolves in silence.

_"Did he want you to kill him, wolf cub?" _growled Ken, breaking the silence. Moro wasn't surprised at the question. Even so, she was shocked that the question was all ready asked.

"Yes." Moro said. Grief lumped in her throat. "He wanted me to kill him."

_"I will miss him." _Ken admitted. _"He was a brave warrior, worthy of being San's mate. He rode on me, did you know that?"_

Moro and Nago shook their heads. Ken continued his story. _"He was trying to find San and Okkoto, the Boar God. At the same time, he was trying to stop that woman from killing the Shishigami." _Moro had heard this story before. She was told this story many times as a child, it was her favorite. This was a different version thought. According to her Toki, the boar tribe wanted to destroy the humans and Eboshi was riding out to get the head of the Shishigami to save Tatara. Toki had mentioned that Eboshi had killed the Shishigami, but only in passing. When Moro asked Ashitaka-sama to tell her the same story, he refused. Now Moro knew why.

Moro and Nago were long past Tatara. They were moving fast, as they didn't have much time. Now halfway there, Ken and Kiba decided to move slower. _"The boy was able to find that woman, but he was unable to convince her to stop. Okkoto then started turning into a demon." _Ken stopped talking, relishing the silence.

_"Your mother was with Okkoto at that time,"_ Kiba took over, speaking to Moro and Nago. _"She wouldn't leave his side. When she saw that Okkoto was turning into a demon, San tried to stop it, but couldn't. Then she began to turn into a demon herself."_ Moro stiffened with shock. She could see that Nago was surprised too. _"It was your father that saved her."_ Kiba growled. _"He pulled her out of Okkoto's body, with my mother's help. Without him, she would have died. The Shishigami came then. It was his decision to kill Moro and Okkoto." _Kiba paused. _"Your mother and father all named you after Gods. Moro, the Wolf God. Okkoto, the Boar God. And Nago, the tragic boar that turned into a demon. You should be very proud."_

"Our father said that his sister is hiding in the East, right Moro?" Nago asked.

Moro nodded. "She's hiding from her very people who want her dead and want Ashitaka...our father. But he's dead now. What are we going to do?"

"We wait until we find her." Nago advised, glancing at her. Moro could see concern in his eyes. "Then we'll decide what to do."

Moro nodded, her confidence reassured. "We should get moving," she declared. Ken and Kiba followed, and together they moved towards the East.

They had traveled for four days. As far as they knew, they were getting closer to the East, and that no one was following them. One day Moro looked up and saw smoke coming from a village. _"That there is the Emishi village." _At first, Moro thought it was Ken or Kiba that spoke, but they didn't. The wolf brothers stared straight ahead, intent on their goal. _"It is the village where I was born and raised."_ The voice was suddenly pinched with sadness. _"It was in the village that I had slain the demon boar, Nago." _Moro suddenly recognized the voice in her head. "Ashitaka-sama?" she whispered.

The voice paid no attention to her. _"Go farther East. You'll find her there." _Then the voice dimmed into the mist.

"Moro?" Nago asked warily. "Are you okay?"

"We need to go farther East." Moro said. "We'll find her there."

"Who?" Nago inquired.

"I don't know." Moro shook her head. "But he says that we'll find her there. She must be important. We must hurry to find her before it is too late."


	14. Strangers

_Chapter Thirteen: Strangers_

"What made you believe we would find Kaya-sama farther in the East?" Nago asked.

Moro bit her lower lip. She braced herself. "I'm not certain if it is Kaya-sama or not." Moro confessed. She was aware of Nago's burning gaze and the wolves' listening ears. "I heard our father's voice. He said, _"'Go farther East. You'll find her there.'_" And I believe him."

_"Ashitaka said that?" _Ken asked. Moro nodded.

Nago rode in silence. "He didn't say if the woman was Kaya-sama or not?" he asked.

Moro shook her head. "No."

Just then they heard a rustle behind them. Moro and Nago quickly jumped off Kiba's and Ken's backs as the wolves defended them.

Standing in front of them were two warriors. Both were carrying bows and stone arrow heads, signs that they were from the Emishi tribe. One warrior was younger, and the other older, Moro noticed. The warriors looked so alike they looked like brother and sister. They had their weapons ready, aiming at their enemies heads. Moro and Nago did the same.

"What are you doing here?" the male warrior asked. His eyes narrowed at Ken and Kiba suspiciously.

Moro removed the arrow from her bow, signifying peace and respect. Slowly, Nago did the same. "We have come from the lands of the West." Moro declared. "We are refugees, fleeing from the war that has plagued our village."

"Then why come here?" the female warrior, presumably the other warrior's sister, asked. "You should have known there were war-torn parts here as well."

"We thought if we moved farther East, we might be free of that." Moro lied quickly.

"What are your names?" The male warrior asked. "I am known as Mamoru, Protector of the Light, and this here is my sister, Karou, Savoir of the People."

"My name is Moro, the Red Wolf." Moro replied. She gestured to Nago. "This is my brother, Nago, the Black Demon." Mamoru and Karou lowered their weapons. Moro could see that although they had exchanged names, they did not trust them. Moro wondered if the Emishi people knew their prince was dead. How would they react? And, what would happen to the Queen, the woman Moro and Nago were searching for as well? Would they kill her?

Suddenly Ken and Kiba growled. Moro and Nago listened closely. From traveling with them, Moro learned to trust their judgment. _"I believe animals are the wisest of creatures. That is why we should trust them." _Ashitaka-sama told her this many times before when Moro was training under him. How wise he had been.

_"There is a human."_ Ken growled. _"It is near the tree."_ He paused for a moment. _"It smells like Ashitaka."_

"Ashitaka-sama?" Moro repeated. She stepped forward.

Mamoru and Karou stood in the path, their arrows again pointed at Moro's and Nago's heads.

"Don't come any closer." Karou spat. "You're looking for her too, aren't you?"

Nago and Moro drew their arrows. "Yes, we are." They both said.

"Why do you want to kill her?" Nago asked, his arrow pointed at Mamoru's heart. "Death won't solve anything. It will only cause more chaos than there all ready is."

"You don't understand." Mamoru said. "She has made our tribe weaker than it was when Ashitaka-sama was exiled. If he were our leader, we would be stronger. Strong as the Emishi tribe has always dreamed of being."

_They don't realize he's dead. _"Your prince is dead." Moro spat. "He was killed a couple of days ago."

There was silence. "No." Mamoru whispered. Karou was shaking. "He cannot be."

"He is." Moro replied. "I saw him die with my own eyes...because I was the one who killed him."

"You killed him?" Moro was immediately reminded of Nago's previous rage. "Murderer!"

Mamoru instantly charged.

Moro aimed her arrow ready. She was ready to aim when she saw a flash of silver. Nago drove his father's short sword into Mamoru's body. Moro could hear the crush of bones and saw the crimson blood as it flowed from the horrid wound. Nago's eyes were twisted with rage.

"_Oniisan!"_ Karou screamed. Mamoru's body fell, his blood staining the ground. Mamoru opened his mouth to form words, but all that came was blood. The light began to fade from his eyes, and he was gone. Before Karou could move, Nago pushed the knife against her throat. "One move, and you'll be like your brother." he warned. Moro understood the meaning now. _"My sons are very much like their mother. My sons are very strong, and will not hesitate to kill you. Never lower your guard."_

"Put that sword down, boy."

All heads turned.

Standing in front of them, with frayed clothes and a sword, was Kaya-sama, Ashitaka's sister.


	15. Visons of War

_Chapter Fourteen: Visions of War_

"Put that sword down, boy." Kaya-sama repeated, raising her sword. "I will not hesitate to kill you." she added dangerously. Kaya-sama and Nago glared at each other before Nago relented. The sword fell to the ground. Karou ran towards the motionless body of her brother.

Moro glanced at Kaya-sama. She could see the resemblance between Ashitaka-sama and Kaya-sama. They both had very dark hair and brown eyes. Although Ashitaka-sama was taller than his sister, Moro could see that Kaya-sama was a warrior like her brother.

"Ashitaka is dead, then?" Moro turned. It was Kaya-sama who spoke. The fierce warrior that had emerged earlier was replaced by a tired woman. A sad smile escaped from her lips. "He doesn't have to see what our tribe has become." She shook her head sadly. Kaya-sama turned to face Moro. "You're the one who killed him?" she asked.

_"Hai."_ There was no anger in Kaya-sama's eyes. There was only sadness. Moro cleared her throat. "Ashitaka-sama said, "'Go to the East. Find Kaya, my sister. If anyone can stop this madness, it's her. Go now."' He wanted me to kill him because he believed it was the best way for me to not get caught. Ashitaka-sama wanted me to find you, Kaya-sama."

"Do not cry, child." Kaya-sama soothed when tears pricked Moro's eyes. "My brother died nobly." Her back turned toward Mamoru's. "Unlike…" her voice trailed off.

Nago stood. He faced Kaya-sama with dignity as his remorse threatened to overwhelm him. "_Otosan _always taught us to not kill for any reason." He swallowed. "The rage I had before is gone now, replaced by remorse." He stared straight at Kaya-sama right in the eye. _"Gomen nasai." _Nago bowed low to Kaya-sama.

Moro watched her brother and Kaya-sama warily. Would Kaya-sama forgive him? Her breath caught in her throat as Kaya-sama spoke. "Rage blinds us all, young one. What you did was wrong. But, the cause of that rage was noble. You were protecting someone you loved. And for that, I forgive you." Kaya-sama pulled Nago to his feet. "What you need to do with your anger, young one, is to control it. Then you will become stronger than you have ever been."

_Kaya-_sama_ is worthy of being the leader of the Emishi tribe, _Moro thought as she watched her walk over to Karou. _She is wise and patient._ Moro continued to watch as Kaya-sama began to talk with Karou. Ken and Kiba were unusually calm_. Why wouldn't they accept her?_

_"With each generation, the Emishi tribe grows weaker, Moro. When Kaya became leader, the people became the weakest as they've ever been. Perhaps with my leadership, as the young man said, the Emishi people hoped that they would become strong again."_

_Ashitaka-_sama_?_ Moro heard his voice again. How could it be, since Ashitaka-sama was dead?

Her only answer was this. _"Protect yourself, my daughter. Have courage."_

"Who are you really?" Kaya-sama's question brought Moro out from the shadows. "Why were you hunting me?"

"It will take a long time to explain, Kaya-sama." Moro answered. Nago stood beside her. "We don't have much time. The war is coming."

"There has all ready been war." Kaya-sama countered back. "My brother has sacrificed himself for it, along with him, Mamoru, Protector of the Light." As she spoke, Ken and Kiba howled.

"_The humans are coming,"_ Ken warned. Kaya-sama seemed to understand, as she quickly ran in the other direction.

"We must hurry!" she shouted.

Nago and Kiba followed her.

"We must go." Moro warned Karou. Karou was still motionless near her brother's body. "Otherwise, we will never be able to stop this war."

_"Naze?" _Karou asked. She faced Moro with despair in her eyes. "Why do you continue to fight?"

"Peace." Stated Moro simply. "We fight this war to protect the ones we love." She could hear the Emishi people coming, but she didn't move.

"I only joined the rebels' side because of my brother." Confessed Karou, speaking to Moro. "He was all I had. I wasn't against the queen nor was I for her. Now with my brother gone, I do not know where I lie. I…just want this madness to cease."

Moro squatted down next to Karou, and put her hands in her own. "My father used to say, "'As long there is life, there is hope.'" Moro pulled Karou up to her full height. "We are alive, Karou, Savoir of the People. Your brother and my father are not." Moro stared at Karou straight in the eye. "They would not want us to die for nothing. Despite their differences, they both died and fought for the same thing: hope. We must replace them." Moro called over Ken, who had stayed by her the entire time.

Moro helped Karou onto Ken. She felt Karou's arms around her waist.

"How do I know I can trust you?" Karou asked.

"You don't." Moro smiled, remembering that Ashitaka-sama had told her the same thing before. "You have to trust your instincts."

Then they ran.

"I see." Kaya-sama whispered, quietly now. It was night, and the six companions decided to rest. "That's what happened."

"You are…Ashitaka-sama's son and daughter?" Karou whispered to Moro and Nago. Moro could see that her body was shaking with shock.

"Yes." Nago answered.

Moro turned to Kaya-sama. "Now you know why we are here."

Kaya-sama nodded. "I know now. Moro, Red Wolf, do have any idea how to stop this war?"

No." Moro answered. The six companions sat in silence.

"You people want you dead, Kaya-sama." Nago spoke. Suddenly he appeared to be Ashitaka-sama, with the same thoughtful face. "Our father, their lost prince, is dead. They know that now. Moro told me that her people have aided your supporters. What they do not know is that it was Moro that killed Ashitaka, not the people of Tatara."

"Are you saying that the Emishi people will attack Tatara again to a full-out war?" Moro's dread filled her heart. Her eyes spoke of fear.

"I believe so." Nago calmly answered.

"We have to stop them." Nago and Moro looked up in surprise. It was Karou that spoke. "It will mean countless bloodshed and meaningless death…if they go there. We have to go now." Moro was suddenly frightened at the passion in Karou's eyes as she spoke. _Karou means to go now._

"Stay calm, Karou, Savoir of the People." Kaya-sama reassured all of them softly. "We must wait. We must sleep. Then we will go. Then you are with us?" she asked Karou with seriousness in her eyes.

"Yes." Moro could not doubt the sincerity in Karou's response. "I am."

Moro had a dream. She was back in the forest again. She laughed as she saw the kodama walking in the forest, hopping onto one another. Moro was about to say hello to them when she felt familiar footsteps.

_"Okasan?"_ Moro whispered joyfully. She recognized the graceful and quick steps her mother made. Then Moro's heart seemed to stop.

Her mother was covered in her own blood. Her left arm was gone; all that remained was a bloody stump. Moro's vision blurred, as if she couldn't see. Her mother's remaining hand reached out towards her. Moro flinched, and instinctively backed away. Moro stood still as her mother opened her mouth, wanting to speak. Blood dripped down her chin, and Moro was reminded of Mamoru. Moro's mother gasped for breath, and fell down dead.

Moro could hear screams coming from the forest and Tatara. She ran towards the forest, scanning the bloodstains and limbs. Then she saw Okkoto's headless torso. Bile rose in Moro's mouth, and she threw up beside him. Shuddering, Moro closed her eyes. _No!_ She could feel her hot tears dripping down her cheeks. _No!_

Moro opened her eyes, and ran towards Tatara.

Moro could see Tatara burning in the distance. Instantly, she saw…everything. Toki was dead. Hikaru was being hacked to death. Nago was fighting too, streaked with blood.

Kaya-sama was dead at his feet.

_"This is what should happen if you do not go now." _Ashitaka-sama whispered in Moro's ear. She could see him at last. He was what he used to be. Tall, strong, and brave. But his eyes…his eyes held despair and grief. _"If you do not go, this shall happen."_

_No!_

Moro woke. She gasped for breath. _What was that? _She remembered everything. San, Okkoto, Toki, Hikaru, and Kaya-sama had died.

_"If you do not go, this shall happen."_

"Kaya-sama!" Moro shook Kaya-sama, desperate for her to wake. "Kaya-sama!"

"Moro?" Kaya-sama's eyes were clouded with sleep. "Is something wrong?"

"We have to go!" Moro whispered, hoping that her desperation in her voice would be heard. "We have to go! _Now_!"


	16. Find Them

_Chapter Fifteen: Find Them_

San thought she felt something in the forest. It was like that time when Okkoto and her were going to see the Shishigami. The humans had attacked them, and caused Okkoto – and nearly herself – to turn into a demon.

San sniffed the air. There were no humans in the forest. Then what was wrong? San sensed her son, Okkoto, stiffen.

_"Dosta?" _she asked.

_"Wakarimasen." _He shook his head, uncertainty glowing in his eyes.

San narrowed her eyes. Something was wrong in the forest. The kodama had suddenly disappeared. The trees were silent.

Then there was a snap of a branch. San and Okkoto turned.

Warriors appeared out of the bushes and trees. San tensed. These warriors were not from the village. They were the Emishi people.

Ashitaka's people. And by extension, her people as well.

San growled. "My husband is dead. Why are you here?"

One warrior stepped forward. "We have heard that Ashitaka-sama was killed not by his villagers, but by a young woman known as Moro. You are her mother. You are hiding her. Where is she?" he demanded.

"I do not know." San lied. Although her daughter had indeed killed her husband, she would protect Moro with her life.

Because she loved her.

"I think you do." The warrior spat.

The warriors charged.

_"Go back, San."_ Ashitaka's voice whispered in San's ear. _"There is too many! You and Okkoto will die!"_ The desperation in his voice was so strong San had a moment where she thought he was alive again.

"I will not go back!" San said furiously. Shouting a battle cry, she threw herself into the fray.

Fifteen warriors were dead at San's and Okkoto's feet. San brushed away the blood from her eyes, and she saw Okkoto do the same. At the corner of her eye, she saw another warrior appear from the shadows.

_"Okkoto!"_she screamed.

Okkoto was able bury one of his arrows in the warrior's chest. As Okkoto aimed another one, he was stopped short by the warrior's heavier weight. Okkoto struggled to get free, but the warrior held his grip on him. San ran forward as she saw the warrior raise the sword above his head.

San stabbed the warrior in the back, causing him to grunt with pain. He stared at San's face, twisted with rage. He pulled his sword back, aiming it at her chest.

San felt the sword go into her chest, crushing her bones and feeling the skin being pulled apart. She saw her blood. San thought she heard a scream, tense with agony. _Ashitaka? _San thought. Surprisingly, she felt no pain.

She crumpled to the ground.

San felt hands groping at her body. _"Okasan?"_ the frantic voice whispered. Okkoto's eyes met her clouded ones. _"Okasan?"_

"I am…dying." San found it difficult to speak. She was aware of the pain entering in Okkoto's eyes. "Leave here. Find…your…brother and sister…. Kaya….before it's too late." She coughed up blood.

_"Okasan-" _Okkoto protested.

"Leave now, my _musuko_. Leave this forest." San begged.

The battle was now lost. The Emishi people could see that. Now they were racing towards Tatara.

_"Iku…"_ San hoarsely whispered. At last, Okkoto nodded.

"Wait." Okkoto stopped when San held something bloody in her hand. It was the crystal dagger, given to her by Ashitaka, who was had gotten this from Kaya, his sister.

"Take…this." Okkoto held the crystal dagger in his palm. "Take…good…care of it. …Go."

"I will." he promised.

_"Ai teru."_ San whispered.

_"_Gomen nasai_, San." _Ashitaka's voice was in her head again. _"I wasn't able to save you."_

_Ashitaka?_

Then San closed her eyes and she was gone.


	17. Only You

_Chapter Sixteen: Only You_

It took them four days to reach Tatara. Moro could hear the blood pulsing in her head as they edged closer to the village. Her hand was on her hilt. Her eyes were always sharp.

Moro tensed as she heard the screams coming from Tatara. Again, the dreamed flared in Moro's eyes. A range of emotions held fast to heart, and she fought to control them.

Blood was the first thing she saw as she and her other companions jumped into the water that led them to the village. Moro saw too, bodies floating. Their mouths were frozen in a silent scream. As she swam to avoid them, Moro vividly remembered Ashitaka-sama's words. _"If you do not go, this shall happen."_

Moro glanced at her brother. Nago was swimming strongly as her, his face tight with determination. She could see that his hand too was on his hilt. Moro then glanced at Karou. Karou appeared calm, and her emotions appeared under control. But Moro could see beyond the mask. Karou was afraid. She was afraid of fighting her own people, and afraid to fight for her life. Moro caught her eye, and gave her a reassuring smile.

Even though that smile was lie to Karou and to Moro herself.

She then finally glanced at Kaya-sama. Kaya-sama was grim, her face betraying no emotion. Moro could sense that Kaya-sama knew that she was watching her. Kaya-sama nodded to her.

_"Are you afraid, wolf cub?" _Ken asked. He was swimming farther ahead of them, but yet Moro could still hear his thoughts.

"Yes, I am." Moro decided to answer truthfully. "For those who I love."

_"Don't worry," _Kiba added. _"He is with us."_

"Who?" Moro asked. "The Shishigami?"

The wolf brothers had no answer for her.

Moro turned her attention to Tatara. The screams were louder, expressing emotion this time. Fear, agony, and pain. Moro remembered what Ashitaka-sama had half-whispered to himself of what seemed like such a long time ago. _"The E__mishi people were a proud race. __Now they are reduced to this.__ They should be ashamed."_

_You were right, Ashitaka-_sama. Moro thought. _They should be ashamed._

No words were spoken once they reached their destination. All that the companions heard were screams. They all took out their weapons. They nodded to each other. Then they ran.

Moro could feel the blood pulsing in her head. It wasn't the screams that echoed in her head. It was the slash of her sword and the crunch of the bones and warm blood that caused her to keep moving.

Like Ashitaka-sama, she did not like to kill. But she had to. These men and women were murdering the villagers who were defenseless. Moro remembered too that villagers were her people once. Didn't that count for something when she ended a life?

No, it didn't. Moro thought as another arrow felled another Emishi warrior. It never would. What counted was protecting the ones she loved.

Ducking underneath an abandoned building, Moro caught her breath. There, she remembered the words that she had exchanged with Kaya-sama.

_"Moro." Kaya-_sama _stated her name. Moro looked at her, the former leader of the Emishi people. "There is something I need to tell you that is very important."_

_"I understand." Moro nodded for Kaya-_sama _to continue. _

_"The leader of the rebels is named Kohai. He is a tall man with shoulder-length brown hair. Kohai is very strong, and has a very deadly sword. He will not hesitate to kill you." Kaya-_sama _paused to look at Moro. When Moro nodded for her to continue, Kaya-_sama _said this very quietly. "What I am asking you to do is very dangerous, Moro. I want you to capture Kohai. Then, I want you, with a knife to his throat, to explain my brother's story. Your story as well. Then you will behead him."_

_"Why?" Moro felt stupid asking this childish question. _

_Kaya-_sama _stared at her straight in the eye. "I do not trust Kohai to not kill you when he has an opening. He must be dealt with quickly."_

_"Do you not trust Nago or Karou do this?" Moro asked, feeling like a child again._

_"No." When Moro's eyes widened, Kaya-_sama_'s expression softened. "You are very much like your father, Moro. He was a kind soul, and very merciful. I sometimes thought the only reason he was able to defeat the demon was to protect the people he loved." Kaya_-sama _put her hands in Moro's own. "You have inherited that, Moro. You have inherited his will to fight. Karou and Nago do not posses that. Only you. Only you can stop this madness."_

Kaya-sama's words replayed in Moro's head. _"Only you can stop this madness." _The screams of the battle brought her back to reality. _Ashitaka-_sama _said that it was his sister who could only stop the madness. But Kaya-_sama _believes it is_ me. _Will I be able to do this?_

She remembered the dream. Of her mother, Okkoto, Hikaru, Toki, and Kaya-sama dead. If the dream filled her with fear before, this time it filled her with fire of determination and love.

Determination to protect the ones she held dear because she loved them.

"_I believe in you..._musume_. _Ai shiteru_."_

_"Moro, you are strong. I was wrong. Ashitaka was right."_

"_Only you can stop this madness."_

Moro stood and faced the battle before her.

She had to find the warrior, Kohai, before it was too late.


	18. Moro vs Kohai

_Chapter Seventeen: Moro vs. Kohai_

Moro now dodged the bodies, dead and alive that came her way. The sound of her blade and the sight of blood was no longer the thing that made her move. It was Kohai. She had to catch him.

_"Only you can stop this madness."_ Kaya-sama's words replayed in her head as she ran to catch him. Moro thought of her loved ones fighting for their lives, including Kaya-sama, who insisted on fighting. Thinking of them made Moro sprit faster. Moro spied Kohai's back, and his long shoulder-length hair. She spied his sword, all ready thickened with blood. It was a long sword, more like a katana, but its hilt was very different. The hilt was in the shape of a dragon. Only Kohai mastered it deadly power.

Moro was finally able to catch up with him. She ran farther ahead, and stopped in front of him, bearing her teeth and sword. The leader of the rebels observed her curiously. Moro supposed that she looked nothing more than a piece of meat, ready to defeated and killed.

"You are here to stop me?" Kohai's unusually high voice made Moro start. He laughed, and it was his laughter was what sent shivers down Moro's spine. "Look around you, child. How many people have you seen trying to defeat me? Your forces are weak, as is the very leader you look up to as a god." Kohai laughed again.

_He thinks I'm from Tatara_. Moro realized. _He has no idea who I really am. _

Kohai stopped, looking at her seriously now. He arched an eyebrow, raising his sword to Moro's neck. The dragon gleamed in the sunlight. This time, Moro didn't flinch.

"Do you know why I call this blade, _Ryuu no chi_?"

Moro remained unresponsive.

"This blade adores blood. Fitting that my hilt is a dragon, I thought it would nice to remember the victims of this blade." He smiled.

Moro didn't flinch.

"Now you will become the next blade's victim."

Kohai flicked the sword upward, aiming to slit Moro's throat. Moro was able to pull her head back, and aimed a strong kick to his stomach. Kohai didn't move. Moro then punched him in the face. Moro could hear a _crack_ from the nose, and she grinned as Kohai stumbled.

Her victory was short-lived when Kohai aimed his sword at her again. This time he was able to cut her cheek. Moro dodged the sword again as he aimed to her heart. She jumped up onto a building, hoping to gain time. Kohai stood there waiting for her. He looked bored.

Until Moro aimed.

Ashitaka-sama always said that Moro was deadly with a bow and arrow. It seemed that Moro could never miss any target, and when she wanted, she could kill. But she didn't aim to kill Kohai. Moro only aimed to wound him.

The arrow pierced Kohai's shoulder deeply. He grunted and the wound bled almost instantly. Moro saw her chance. Aiming her sword upward, she planned to give Kohai a head wound to make him unconscious. Moro jumped down.

As Moro aimed, she saw the sword, the dragon gleaming gold.

_"Moro!"_ Moro knew now that the voice belonged to Ashitaka-sama, but it was too late for the warning.

The sword dug deep into Moro's thigh. Her world exploded with pain. She thought she saw stars. Moro saw her very own blood dripping out of the sword. She fell. Moro felt nothing but pain. She was barely aware of the sword coming out, and of Kohai's grinning face.

She thought she heard her name again.

_Otosan?_

Moro felt hands on her thigh were the wound was, and she heard the clanging of swords. She heard a voice. Kaya-sama? She was aware of nothing then. Only blackness.

"Ashitaka-sama?" Moro didn't know where she was. She was in a place where she heard grass whisper ring softly. Moro could barely see because the sun was above her head. Moro squinted, and she saw someone she knew.

It was Ashitaka-sama. He was wearing the same kimono that he wore when she died. Ashitaka-sama was the same since I had last seen him alive, eleven days ago. Except Ashitaka-sama's clothes were not in rags, and he wasn't disheveled and malnourished. He did not look so sad, and he heard me when Moro called him.

"Ashitaka-sama!" she called.

He smiled.

"What is it, Moro-chan?" he asked that question so sweetly Moro couldn't speak for a moment. Her thoughts went back to my memories of both of when she was just Ashitaka-sama's apprentice, without him dead, and happy memories of innocence and naivety. Moro pushed them away.

"Ashitaka-sama, am I…am I dead?" There was an eerie silence. All Moro remembered was the pain that she felt when she got hit. "Am I dead?"

"Not yet. You are dying, but not dead." Ashitaka-sama came over to his daughter's side. "You will die soon, even though my sister is trying very hard to save you."

_Kaya-_sama_! _Moro remembered her face before she blacked out. Moro remembered that there was someone else fighting Kohai. Who was it?

"Okkoto." Ashitaka-sama answered. "He's fighting for his life." Now the sadness that had marked Moro's father for so long appeared. "And for you."

_"Otosan,"_ Moro faced her father. "Why are you here?"

"I'm still watching over you. And my two other children." Ashitaka-sama again put his hands into hers. _"Ai shiteru." _

At these words, Moro's gruesome wound healed. She gasped, feeling whole again. Moro glanced at Ashitaka-sama. Tears were slowly flowing down his cheeks.

"You are not meant to be here, Moro. You have to finish your destiny. Farwell, my child."

_"Ashitaka_-sama!"

Moro's eyes snapped open. Aware of her surroundings once again, she glanced to her left. Okkoto was indeed battling Kohai. Okkoto was failing badly. Moro struggled to sit up.

"Moro!" Kaya-sama's shocked whisper snapped Moro's head back. Kaya-sama's hands were covered in blood. Moro's blood. At the sight of the missing wound, Kaya-sama gasped. "Your wound…is gone! I thought…"

Moro didn't let her finish the sentence.

Most of Okkoto's body was covered in blood. Moro could hear her brother struggling to even breathe. She saw Kohai aim _Ryuu no chi_ at Okkoto's heart.

Okkoto, as weak as he was, would not survive that.

Wasting no time, Moro grabbed her mother's crystal dagger and pushed it in Kohai's chest.

Moro felt herself fall backward with Kohai's body. It was amazing that such a small dagger could draw that much blood. Moro saw that Kohai was dying, but she didn't stop looking at him. Then the light of life began to fade from his eyes, and he was gone.

Moro gasped for breath then, pulling out the blood-stained dagger of out of Kohai's body. She hung onto the string, and after a moment, put it on. It was then that Moro realized that San, the Mononoke-hime, her mother, was dead. Tears threatened to overwhelm her, as they did with Ashitaka-sama's death, but Moro held fast. There was no time for mourning now. Okkoto was gravely injured, but Moro knew that Ashitaka-sama, their father, was watching over him. Their mother was no watching over them as well.

Moro stood, listening. The battle was still raging, even when Kohai, the rebel's leader, was dead. She picked up Ryuu no chi in her hands. Surprisingly, it didn't feel heavy.

Moro faced the battle. Using a voice that Moro didn't know that she possessed, she shouted.

"_Stop!"_


	19. The Story of Ashitaka

_Chapter Eighteen: The Story of Ashitaka_

Suddenly, the battle stopped. Everyone was quiet. Somehow, all eyes were on Moro. Moro stood to face them. She held up _Ryuu no chi_ high.

"Your leader is dead."

There was only eerie silence.

Moro spied for familiar faces with her eyes. Toki, Kouroku, and Hikaru were there. They were alive. Moro felt a sense of gratitude towards the family that had raised her as their own. Not far off, she spotted Okkoto and Nago both being supported by Kaya-sama and Karou. She saw the wolf brothers, Ken and Kiba. All of those people that she loved and fought for her life for nodded to her to go on.

"Eighteen and a half years ago, there was once a prince named Ashitaka." Moro began. Her voice echoed. "He was the last prince of the Emishi tribe, and he was said to be very brave and noble. One day, the village was attacked by a demon boar named Nago, a former god of the forests. Ashitaka was able to protect his village, but at a price: Ashitaka was cursed fatally, and was exiled from his people. He was searching for a cure to save his life, and instead, found love, a home, and a family. He was able to save the Mononoke-hime, San, from certain death, but was shot. The gifts given to him by the curse were the only reason why he stood and kept on walking.

"His strength was still wading, and he eventually fell unconscious. San took pity on the human, and was able to bring him to the Shishigami, who holds the power of life and death. The Shishigami saved Ashitaka's life, but did not remove the curse. He was devastated, and as soon as his wounds healed, he moved on.

"Meanwhile, there was a bargain made between Eboshi and a monk named Jiggo. Eboshi agreed to give Jiggo the head of the Shishigami if he aided Eboshi's forces with his men to fight the boars. It was agreed. Ashitaka heard the news that Eboshi was going to cut off the head of the Shishigami. The women of village, all ready exhausted with the former battle, were bombarded with another one. The women begged Ashitaka to bring Eboshi and their men back. Ashitaka promised he would. Also, he was looking for San, the woman that he now realized he loved.

"Ashitaka was unable to convince Eboshi to leave. Okkoto then started turning into a demon. San was with Okkoto at that time. She wouldn't leave his side. When she saw that Okkoto was turning into a demon, San tried to stop it, but couldn't. Then she began to turn into a demon herself. It was Ashitaka that saved her. Without him and Moro, her mother, she would have died. The Shishigami came then. It was his decision to kill Moro and Okkoto. However, it was then that Eboshi was able to cut off the head of the Shishigami.

"The forest turned black, plagued by the goo from the Shishigami. Many people died that day. Ashitaka and San were able to get the head of the Shishigami from Jiggo, and there, the Shishigami died. The forest became renewed once more."

Moro paused. Everyone was silent. Everyone was still. They were watching her. There was no hatred in their eyes anymore.

"I am the daughter of Ashitaka and San." Moro continued. "Because my mother wanted me killed, my father sent me to live with another couple. He watched over me carefully. Then, I heard of the war many years later. _Your_ war. Ashitaka trained me to prepare for it, and four years later, when I was sixteen, it began. Okkoto, my brother, was accused of killing Eboshi, and was sentenced to death. Our father pleaded with Toki, the recent leader of Tatara, to take his life, and not Okkoto's." Moro paused, catching her breath. It still very hard to talk about this.

"This is what he said. _"__'__After my curse was lifted, I did not want to go back to my people. I found a home and a family here__. To them forever, I was dead. __I'm sorry I have caused you this pain, Toki-san. I'm sorry I caused everyone this pain. I never meant for this to happen. Gomen nasai.__For exchange for my deeds and Okkoto's life, I ask you to take mine. Onegai shimasu, Toki-_san_.__'__" _And Toki agreed. The day before his death sentence, Ashitaka wanted me to kill him. I now knew that I was his daughter, and he said that I had to find his sister, Kaya-sama. I killed him.

"Nago, my other brother, and I were able to find Kaya-sama. We also gained a companion named Karou. We rushed to the battle. I battled your leader, Kohai. Eventually and despite the odds, I killed him. I beg of you – all of you – to listen to me. All these people have given up their lives for peace and hope. We need to stop. You need to stop. Ashitaka was ashamed of what the Emishi people had become. Trust your leader. Trust yourself. Trust in peace. We need it. We need it to move on. So please, listen to what I'm saying and accept Kaya-sama as your leader. She will learn from her mistakes. Just please, please, accept. Otherwise, everything the leader that you desired – and my father – would have died for nothing. _Onegai shimasu_."


	20. Epilogue

_Epilogue _

They did listen eventually. Ashitaka and San were given a proper burial, and were buried in the forest. Moro, Okkoto, Nago, and his wife, Karou, rebuilt the forest as it once was. Tatara was renamed to Yasu, _Peace. _The sword of Kohai was gone, floating in the water toward an unknown destination.

Eventually, the Emishi people were able to accept Kaya-sama as their queen, and lived – once again – peacefully. The memories of the war had faded. Everyone was at peace.

When Kaya-sama died, Moro took her place as the queen of the Emishi people several years later. Okkoto, Nago, and Karou, and their small daughter, Kiyo, stayed behind.

If you listen closely to the wind, you will hear it tell you the story of _Akai Okami to Akuma_.

If you listen closely to the wind, you will hear it tell you the story of the Red Wolf and the Demon.


End file.
